Coping with social stigma: people with intellectual disabilities moving from institutions and family home
01 Nov 2004-Journal of Intellectual Disability Research (J Intellect Disabil Res)-Vol. 48, Iss: 8, pp 719-729
TL;DR: Findings are presented from a phenomenological study of individuals making the transition from their family home to live more independently and 18 individuals moving from a long-stay hospital to live in community housing on people's awareness of stigma and their modes of adaptation to stigma.
Abstract: Background Social stigma and its impact on the life opportunities and emotional well-being of people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) are a subject of both practical and theoretical importance. The disability movement and evolving theories of self, now point to individuals’ ability to develop positive identities and to challenge stigmatizing views and social norms.
Method This paper presents findings from a phenomenological study of 10 individuals making the transition from their family home to live more independently and 18 individuals moving from a long-stay hospital to live in community housing. It builds on an earlier data set obtained from people living at home with their families and examines: (1) people's awareness of stigma, and (2) their modes of adaptation to stigma.
Results The participants all believed that they faced stigmatized treatment and were aware of the stigma associated with ID. They presented a range of views about self in relation to disability and stigma. These views included regarding themselves as part of a minority group who reject prejudice, and attempts to distance themselves from stigmatizing services and from other individuals with IDs.
Conclusions The findings are discussed in relation to theories of self and the importance of considering psychosocial factors is stressed in clinical work with people who have IDs.
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TL;DR: The newly developed scale provided a quantitative instrument with which affiliate stigma can be compared across different conditions and showed good predictive validity on subjective burden, after the extent of caregiving involvement and caregiving stress were controlled for.
Abstract: Background Affiliate stigma refers to the extent of self-stigmatization among associates of the targeted minorities. Given previous studies on caregiver stigma were mostly qualitative in nature, a conceptually based, unified, quantitative instrument to measure affiliate stigma is still lacking.
Materials and Methods Two hundred and ten caregivers of people with intellectual disability (CPID) and 108 caregivers of people with mental illness (CPMI) were recruited to validate the 22-item Affiliate Stigma Scale with caregiving stress, subjective burden and positive perceptions.
Results Exploratory factor analysis suggested that the scale was unidimensional, with excellent internal consistencies for both CPID and CPMI. It showed good predictive validity on subjective burden, after the extent of caregiving involvement and caregiving stress were controlled for.
Conclusion Implications on psychoeducation and stigma reduction were discussed. The newly developed scale provided a quantitative instrument with which affiliate stigma can be compared across different conditions.
317 citations
TL;DR: It is indicated that both individuals and family carers experience stigma and that it may have a negative impact on psychological wellbeing.
255 citations
TL;DR: Irrespective of schooling environment, the young people appeared to be able to cope with the threats to their identities and retained a sense of optimism about their future, and there is a need for schools to promote the emotional well-being of pupils with intellectual disabilities.
Abstract: Mainstream schooling is a key policy in the promotion of social inclusion of young people with learning disabilities. Yet there is limited evidence about the school experience of young people about to leave mainstream as compared with segregated education, and how it impacts on their relative view of self and future aspirations. Sixty young people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities in their final year of secondary school participated in this study. Twenty-eight individuals came from mainstream schools and 32 attended segregated school. They completed a series of self-report measures on perceptions of stigma, social comparison to a more disabled and non-disabled peer and the likelihood involved in attaining their future goals. The majority of participants from both groups reported experiencing stigmatized treatment in the local area where they lived. The mainstream group reported significant additional stigma at school. In terms of social comparisons, both groups compared themselves positively with a more disabled peer and with a non-disabled peer. While the mainstream pupils had more ambitious work-related aspirations, both groups felt it equally likely that they would attain their future goals. Although the participants from segregated schools came from significantly more deprived areas and had lower scores on tests of cognitive functioning, neither of these factors appeared to have an impact on their experience of stigma, social comparisons or future aspirations. Irrespective of schooling environment, the young people appeared to be able to cope with the threats to their identities and retained a sense of optimism about their future. Nevertheless, negative treatment reported by the children was a serious source of concern and there is a need for schools to promote the emotional well-being of pupils with intellectual disabilities.
218 citations
TL;DR: This article examined multidimensional attitudes toward individuals with intellectual disabilities and found that those with more knowledge and greater quantity and quality of contact with people with disabilities would have more positive attitudes toward this social group.
Abstract: Understanding attitudes that may lead to barriers to equality can help enhance social inclusion and quality of life for individuals with intellectual disabilities. The current study examined multidimensional attitudes toward individuals with intellectual disabilities. We expected that those with more knowledge and greater quantity and quality of contact with people with intellectual disabilities would have more positive attitudes toward this social group. Hierarchical multiple regressions revealed that greater knowledge and quantity of contact were unrelated to attitudes. Greater quality of contact, however, was associated with more positive attitudes. These findings add support to previous findings that positive experiences may lead to less intergroup anxiety, less hostility, and less avoidance of outgroups.
145 citations
Cites background from "Coping with social stigma: people w..."
...…492 Bluemont Hall, 1100 Mid-campus Drive, Manhattan, KS 66506- 5302, USA Email: jlm7@ksu.edu Gorfin & McGlaughlin, 2005), which may result in individuals with intellectual disabilities experiencing negative self-evaluations, feelings of powerlessness, and frustration (Jahoda & Markova, 2004)....
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TL;DR: While results for QOL, well-being and autonomy were largely positive, there was a lack of perceived social acceptance and implications for the socio-emotional support required by some individuals in employment are discussed.
Abstract: Background Work is an aspiration for many people with intellectual disability and is regarded as a vital goal by policy-makers in pursuit of social inclusion. The aim of this study was to consider the impact of supported employment on the socio-emotional well-being of people with intellectual disabilities.
Method A systematic search was conducted. The review included case-controlled and longitudinal studies measuring outcomes for: (1) quality of life (QOL), (2) social life and (3) autonomy.
Results While results for QOL, well-being and autonomy were largely positive, there was a lack of perceived social acceptance. The findings are interpreted in the light of methodological strengths and weaknesses.
Conclusions Implications for the socio-emotional support required by some individuals in employment, and directions for future research are discussed.
128 citations
References
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TL;DR: In this article, it is proposed that members of stigmatized groups may attribute negative feedback to prejudice against their group, compare their outcomes with those of the ingroup, rather than with the relatively advantaged outgroup, and selectively devalue those dimensions on which their group fares poorly and value those dimensions that their group excels.
Abstract: Although several psychological theories predict that members of stigmatized groups should have low global self-esteem, empirical research typically does not support this prediction. It is proposed here that this discrepancy may be explained by considering the ways in which membership in a stigmatized group may protect the self-concept It is proposed that members of stigmatized groups may (a) attribute negative feedback to prejudice against their group, (b) compare their outcomes with those of the ingroup, rather than with the relatively advantaged outgroup, and (c) selectively devalue those dimensions on which their group fares poorly and value those dimensions on which their group excels. Evidence for each of these processes and their consequences for self-esteem and motivation is reviewed. Factors that moderate the use of these strategies and implications of this analysis for treatment of stigmas are also discussed. For more than three decades, social psychological research on prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination has examined both the content of stereotypes about a variety of social groups
3,298 citations
TL;DR: The authors investigated the hypothesis that the stigmatized can protect their self-esteem by attributing negative feedback to prejudice and reported less depressed affect than women who received negative feedback from a non-prejudiced evaluator.
Abstract: Two experiments investigated the hypothesis that the stigmatized can protect their self-esteem by attributing negative feedback to prejudice. Fifty-nine women participated in the 1st experiment. Women who received negative feedback from a prejudiced evaluator attributed the feedback to his prejudice and reported less depressed affect than women who received negative feedback from a nonprejudiced evaluator. In the 2nd experiment, 38 Black and 45 White students received interpersonal feedback from a White evaluator, who cither could see them or could not. Compared with Whites, Blacks were more likely to attribute negative feedback to prejudice than positive feedback and were more likely to attribute both types of feedback to prejudice when they could be seen by the other student. Being seen by the evaluator buffered the self-esteem of Blacks from negative feedback but hurt the self-esteem of Blacks who received positive feedback.
763 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that social comparison is associated with self-esteem and depression in people with intellectual disability in the same way as it is for people without intellectual disability.
Abstract: The present study explores the relationship between social comparison processes, self-esteem and depression in people with intellectual disability. Forty-three people with mild and moderate intellectual disability completed adapted measures of self-esteem and social comparison. The social comparison scale offers subscale scores on achievement, social attractiveness and group belonging dimensions. The self-esteem scale offers subscale scores for positive and negative self-esteem. A significant positive correlation was found between positive self-esteem and social comparison on the achievement dimension. Depression was significantly negatively correlated with social comparison on the social attractiveness and group belonging dimensions, and with positive self-esteem. Regression analysis showed that depression was significantly and independently predicted only by social comparison on the social attractiveness dimension. The present authors conclude that social comparison is associated with self-esteem and depression in people with intellectual disability in the same way as it is for people without intellectual disability. Further exploration of social comparison process in people with intellectual disability may inform cognitive behavioural interventions for this group of people.
209 citations
TL;DR: Two scales are described which have been found useful in the measurement of relevant behaviour characteristics of mentally handicapped people in large scale surveys and reflect speech, self-help, and literacy abilities.
Abstract: Two scales are described which have been found useful in the measurement of relevant behaviour characteristics of mentally handicapped people in large scale surveys. One scale rates according to levels of continence, ambulance, and the presence of specified disruptive behaviours, while the other reflects speech, self-help, and literacy abilities. This information has been found useful in the planning and implementation of services for the mentally handicapped.
201 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the need to distinguish between "individual, self, and person" as biologistic, psychologistic and sociologistic modes of conceptualizing human beings is asserted.
Abstract: This article asserts the need to distinguish among “individual,” “self,” and “person” as biologistic, psychologistic, and sociologistic modes of conceptualizing human beings. The concepts differentiate individual as member of the human kind, self as locus of experience, and person as agent-in-society. The author follows out various descriptive and analytical implications. Ethnographic examples are used to illustrate and clarify points relevant to single-case studies and comparativist work. Within a particular local scheme, concepts of individual, self, and person are interrelated, sometimes hierarchically so. The article briefly takes up issues following from the double nature of these concepts as “native” categories and outsiders' analytical constructs. It is held that adopting as analytically central any one mode of conceptualizing human beings has consequences for the analyst's view of culture and/or social structure.
186 citations